Ex-Houston state lawmaker becomes lobbyist

Former state Rep. John Davis, a Houston Republican who retired after the 2013 session, is now a registered lobbyist.

AUSTIN — Former state. Rep. John Davis, a Houston Republican who did not seek re-election in 2014, has officially kicked off a new career: lobbyist.

Continuing a long revolving door tradition that some in the Legislature are looking to slow down, Davis becomes the first lawmaker who did not run again or lost a re-election bid after the 2013 session to register as a lobbyist for this session.

According to state data, Davis is registered to lobby on behalf of KGR Residential, a Tomball-based general contracting firm, that he said works with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

He’s also signed up to lobby for a firm run by Thomas Suehs, a lobbyist who was the former Health and Human Services executive commissioner, aptly called Thomas Suehs and Associates, LLC. Davis said he’s working with Suehs “to provide alternatives to court-appointed guardians for seniors.” He declined to elaborate further.

Both of Davis’ lobby contracts are valued at less than $10,000, the minimum range.

“There are some issues that are important that to me that I wanted to work on,” said Davis, pointing to mental health and senior citizens. He said he’s also doing pro bono work for the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature, a nonprofit that advocates for “older Texans.”

A proposal by state Rep. Angie Chen Button, R-Garland, and Sen. Van Taylor, R-Plano, would prohibit former lawmakers from becoming lobbyists for four years after their last legislative session.

Davis, as you might imagine, is not in favor of the bill.

“That would be hypocritical of me to say former lawmakers should not be allowed to lobby,” he said. “Once you stop serving you should be able to advocate for issues you care about and further the cause of those particular issues.”

Davis is the first former lawmaker from the departing class of 2013 to register this session, but he’s likely not the last. Around a dozen former lawmakers who left the Legislature after the 2011 session became lobbyists in 2013.

And several ex-lawmakers have been spotted fairly consistently around the Capitol since opening day.

But he’s not planning to register as a lobbyist because he’s working for free, volunteering his time with the organization, and doesn’t plan to spend any money wining and dining lawmakers.

Under ethics rules, lobby registration is required if a person is paid more than $1,000 in a calendar quarter to influence legislation or a if a person spends more than $500 in a calendar quarter to lobby a lawmaker with food, travel or some other kind of gift.